Pipe coupler

Abstract

A pipe coupler gripping each pipe with hand grip actuated clamps, and seating the end of one pipe in the aligned end of another pipe using leverage plates having a slot or channel with a drop notch, facilitating additional leveraging.

1. A device for coupling aligned piping comprising:
 (a) an adjustable means of temporarily gripping opposite sides of a pipe having a female-end; 
 (b) an adjustable means of temporarily gripping opposite sides of a separate pipe having a male-end aligned with the female-end; 
 (c) a means of leveraging the male-end into the female-end, including a leverage handle; 
 (d) a plurality of legs leveragingly linking said male-end gripping means to said leveraging means; and 
 (e) a plurality of arms fulcrumatically linking said female-end gripping means to said leveraging means, between said leveraging linkings and said leverage handle; 
 (f) a span affixed to a lower end of said leverage handle and comprising a span length from a first span-end to a second span-end at least slightly larger than the diameter of the pipes to be coupled, a first leverage plate downstanding from said first span-end and defining a first intermediate hole, and a second leverage plate downstanding from said second span-end and defining a second intermediate hole; said arms comprising a first arm defining a first leverage-end hole, and a second arm defining a second leverage-end hole, said fulcrumatic linking of said female-end gripping means to said leveraging means comprising a first fulcrum pin impaling said first leverage-end hole and with said first fulcrum pin in said first leverage-end hole located between the handle and said first leverage plate, and a second fulcrum pin impaling said second leverage-end hole and with said second fulcrum pin in said second leverage-end hole located between the handle and said second leverage plate, said first leverage plate and second leverage plate capable of straddling a pipe and its respective coupling end along a respective first side and second side; wherein movement of said leverage handle from a starting position toward the female-end to an ending position toward the gripped male-end leverages the male-end into the gripped female-end. 
 
   
   
     2. A coupling device described in  claim 1 , said span further comprising a means of adjusting said span length to accommodate straddling of pairs of coupling pipes of different diameter. 
   
   
     3. A coupling device described in  claim 2 , said first leverage plate further comprising a first apical collar sized to snugly accept said first span-end inserted therethrough, said first collar defining a first threaded bore sized to accept a first bolt rotated therethrough and into engaging contact with said first span-end to prevent removal from said first collar. 
   
   
     4. A coupling device described in  claim 3 , said second leverage plate further comprising a second apical collar sized to snugly accept said second span-end inserted therethrough, said second collar defining a second threaded bore sized to accept a second bolt rotated therethrough and into engaging contact with said second span-end to prevent removal from said second collar. 
   
   
     5. A coupling device described in  claim 4 , said adjustable means of temporarily gripping opposite sides of the pipe having a female-end comprising a handgrip-actuated lock-gripping female-end clamp. 
   
   
     6. A coupling device described in  claim 5 , said lock-gripping female-end clamp comprising a means of adjusting the separation of said first bell-shoe and second bell-shoe at said gripping of opposite sides of the pipe. 
   
   
     7. A coupling device described in  claim 5 , said handgrip-actuated adjustable lock-gripping female-end clamp comprising a first bell-pincer including a first bell-shoe having a concave inner surface and a first outer surface, and an opposite second bell-pincer including a second bell-shoe having a concave inner surface and a second outer surface. 
   
   
     8. A coupling device described in  claim 7 , said first arm further defining a first female-end hole, said second arm further defining a second female-end hole, said first bell-shoe outer surface having a first bell-lockpin outstanding therefrom, said second bell-shoe outer surface having a second bell-lockpin outstanding therefrom, said fulcrumatic linking of said female-end gripping means to said leveraging means further comprising said first bell-lockpin impaling said first female-end hole, and said second bell-lockpin impaling said second female-end hole. 
   
   
     9. A coupling device described in  claim 8 , said first leverage plate further defining a first leverage hole, said first leg defining a first leg-leverage hole, said second leverage plate further defining a second leverage hole, said second leg defining a second leg-leverage hole, said leveraging linking of said male-end gripping means to said leveraging means comprising a first leverage-pin impaling said first leg-leverage hole and said first leverage hole aligned therewith, and a second leverage-pin impaling said second leg-leverage hole and said second leverage hole aligned therewith. 
   
   
     10. A coupling device described in  claim 9 , said adjustable means of temporarily gripping opposite sides of the pipe having a male-end comprising a handgrip-actuated adjustable lock-gripping male-end clamp. 
   
   
     11. A coupling device described in  claim 10 , said lock-gripping male-end clamp comprising a means of adjusting the separation of said first male-shoe and second male-shoe at said gripping of opposite sides of the pipe. 
   
   
     12. A coupling device described in  claim 11 , said handgrip-actuated adjustable lock-gripping male-end clamp comprising a first male-pincer including a first male-shoe having a concave inner surface and a first outer surface, and an opposite second male-pincer including a second male-shoe having a concave inner surface and a second outer surface. 
   
   
     13. A coupling device described in  claim 12 , said first leg further defining a first male-end hole, said second leg further defining a second male-end hole, said first male-shoe outer surface having a first male-lockpin outstanding therefrom, said second male-shoe outer surface having a second male-lockpin outstanding therefrom, said leveraging linking of said male-end gripping means to said leveraging means further comprising said first male-lockpin impaling said first male-end hole, and said second male-lockpin impaling said second male-end hole. 
   
   
     14. A coupling device described in  claim 13 , said first leverage hole further including a first leverage channel terminating in a first female-end dropnotch, said first leg defining a first leg-leverage hole, said second leverage hole further including a second leverage channel terminating in a second female-end dropnotch, wherein additional leveraging may be accomplished by returning said leverage handle to said starting position, and moving said leverage handle from the starting position toward the female-end to an ending position toward the male-end. 
   
   
     15. A device for coupling aligned piping comprising an adjustable means of temporarily gripping opposite sides of a pipe having a female bell-end, an adjustable means of temporarily gripping opposite sides of a separate pipe having a male-end aligned with the bell-end, and a means of leveraging the male-end into the bell-end comprising a leverage handle, a plurality of legs leveragingly linking said male-end gripping means to said leveraging means, and a plurality of arms fulcrumatically linking said bell-end gripping means to said leveraging means, between said leveraging linkings and said leverage handle, wherein movement of said leverage handle from a starting position toward the bell-end to an ending position toward the male-end leverages the male-end into the bell-end;
 a. said adjustable means of temporarily gripping opposite sides of the pipe having a bell-end comprising a handgrip-actuated adjustable lock-gripping bell-end clamp comprising a first bell-pincer including a first bell-shoe having a concave inner surface and a first outer surface including a first bell-lockpin outstanding therefrom, and an opposite second bell-pincer including a second bell-shoe having a concave inner surface and a second outer surface including a second bell-lockpin outstanding therefrom; 
 b. said adjustable means of temporarily gripping opposite sides of the pipe having a male-end comprising a handgrip-actuated adjustable lock-gripping male-end clamp comprising a first male-pincer including a first male-shoe having a concave inner surface and a first outer surface including a first male-lockpin outstanding therefrom, and an opposite second male-pincer including a second male-shoe having a concave inner surface and a second outer surface including a second male-lockpin outstanding therefrom; and 
 c. said leveraging means further comprising:
 (1) a span affixed to a lower end of said leverage handle and comprising a span length from a first span-end to a second span-end at least slightly larger than the diameter of the pipes to be coupled, a first leverage plate downstanding from said first span-end and defining a first intermediate hole and a first leverage hole including a first leverage channel terminating in a first bell-end dropnotch, and a second leverage plate downstanding from said second span-end and defining a second intermediate hole and a second leverage hole including a second leverage channel terminating in a second bell-end dropnotch; 
 (2) said arms comprising a first arm defining a first leverage-end hole and a first bell-end hole, and a second arm defining a second leverage-end hole and a second bell-end hole, said fulcrumatic linking of said bell-end gripping means to said leveraging means comprising a first fulcrum pin impaling said first leverage-end hole and said first intermediate hole aligned therewith, with said first fulcrum pin in said first leverage-end hole located between the handle and said first leverage plate, and a second fulcrum pin impaling said second leverage-end hole and said second intermediate hole aligned therewith, with said second fulcrum pin in said second leverage-end hole located between the handle and said second leverage plate, said fulcrumatic linking of said bell-end gripping means to said leveraging means further comprising said first bell-lockpin impaling said first bell-end hole, and said second bell-lockpin impaling said second bell-end hole, said first leverage plate and second leverage plate capable of straddling a pipe and its respective coupling end along a respective first side and second side; and 
 (3) said legs comprising a first leg defining a first leg-leverage hole and a first male-end hole, and a second leg defining a second leg-leverage hole and a second male-end hole, said leveraging linking of said male-end gripping means to said leveraging means comprising a first leverage-pin impaling said first leg-leverage hole and said first leverage hole aligned therewith, and a second leverage-pin impaling said second leg-leverage hole and said second leverage hole aligned therewith, said leveraging linking of said male-end gripping means to said leveraging means further comprising said first male-lockpin impaling said first male-end hole, and said second male-lockpin impaling said second male-end hole; 
 
 
     wherein additional leveraging may be accomplished by returning said leverage handle to said starting position, and moving said leverage handle from the starting position toward the bell-end to an ending position toward the male-end. 
   
   
     16. A coupling device described in  claim 15 , said span further comprising a means of adjusting said span length to accommodate straddling of pairs of coupling pipes of different diameter, comprising said first leverage plate further comprising a first apical collar sized to snugly accept said first span-end inserted therethrough, said first collar defining a first threaded bore sized to accept a first bolt rotated therethrough and into engaging contact with said first span-end to prevent removal from said first collar. 
   
   
     17. A coupling device described in  claim 16 , said second leverage plate further comprising a second apical collar sized to snugly accept said second span-end inserted therethrough, said second collar defining a second threaded bore sized to accept a second bolt rotated therethrough and into engaging contact with said second span-end to prevent removal from said second collar. 
   
   
     18. A method for coupling aligned piping using a coupling device including an adjustable means of temporarily gripping opposite sides of a pipe having a female bell-end, an adjustable means of temporarily gripping opposite sides of a separate pipe having a male-end aligned with the bell-end, and a means of leveraging the male-end into the bell-end comprising a leverage handle, a plurality of legs leveragingly linking said male-end gripping means to said leveraging means, and a plurality of arms fulcrumatically linking said bell-end gripping means to said leveraging means, between said leveraging linkings and said leverage handle, wherein movement of said leverage handle from a starting position toward the bell-end to an ending position toward the male-end leverages the male-end into the bell-end;
 a. said adjustable means of temporarily gripping opposite sides of the pipe having a bell-end comprising a handgrip-actuated adjustable lock-gripping bell-end clamp comprising a first bell-pincer including a first bell-shoe having a concave inner surface and a first outer surface including a first bell-lockpin outstanding therefrom, and an opposite second bell-pincer including a second bell-shoe having a concave inner surface and a second outer surface including a second bell-lockpin outstanding therefrom; 
 b. said adjustable means of temporarily gripping opposite sides of the pipe having a male-end comprising a handgrip-actuated adjustable lock-gripping male-end clamp comprising a first male-pincer including a first male-shoe having a concave inner surface and a first outer surface including a first male-lockpin outstanding therefrom, and an opposite second male-pincer including a second male-shoe having a concave inner surface and a second outer surface including a second male-lockpin outstanding therefrom; and 
 c. said leveraging means further comprising:
 (1) a span affixed to a lower end of said leverage handle and comprising a span length from a first span-end to a second span-end at least slightly larger than the diameter of the pipes to be coupled, a first leverage plate downstanding from said first span-end and defining a first intermediate hole and a first leverage hole including a first leverage channel terminating in a first bell-end dropnotch, and a second leverage plate downstanding from said second span-end and defining a second intermediate hole and a second leverage hole including a second leverage channel terminating in a second bell-end dropnotch; 
 (2) said arms comprising a first arm defining a first leverage-end hole and a first bell-end hole, and a second arm defining a second leverage-end hole and a second bell-end hole, said fulcrumatic linking of said bell-end gripping means to said leveraging means comprising a first fulcrum pin impaling said first leverage-end hole and said first intermediate hole aligned therewith, with said first fulcrum pin in said first leverage-end hole located between the handle and said first leverage plate, and a second fulcrum pin impaling said second leverage-end hole and said second intermediate hole aligned therewith, with said second fulcrum pin in said second leverage-end hole located between the handle and said second leverage plate, said fulcrumatic linking of said bell-end gripping means to said leveraging means further comprising said first bell-lockpin impaling said first bell-end hole, and said second bell-lockpin impaling said second bell-end hole, said first leverage plate and second leverage plate capable of straddling a pipe and its respective coupling end along a respective first side and second side; and 
 (3) said legs comprising a first leg defining a first leg-leverage hole and a first male-end hole, and a second leg defining a second leg-leverage hole and a second male-end hole, said leveraging linking of said male-end gripping means to said leveraging means comprising a first leverage-pin impaling said first leg-leverage hole and said first leverage hole aligned therewith, and a second leverage-pin impaling said second leg-leverage hole and said second leverage hole aligned therewith, said leveraging linking of said male-end gripping means to said leveraging means further comprising said first male-lockpin impaling said first male-end hole, and said second male-lockping impaling said second male-end hole; said method of coupling comprising the steps of:
 (a) with the leverage handle of the coupling device in its starting position, lock-gripping the bell-end of a pipe with the adjustable lock-gripping bell-end clamp, and lock-gripping the male-end of a separate aligned pipe with the adjustable lock-gripping male-end clamp; and 
 (b) moving the leverage handle to an ending position toward the male-end. 
 
 
 
   
   
     19. A method of coupling aligned piping described in  claim 18 , further comprising the steps of, if necessary for complete coupling, returning the leverage handle to said starting position, then moving it toward the male-end.